Vacuum cotton-picking nozzle



Oct. 29, 1929. J. s. THURMAN VACUUM COTTON PICKING NOZZLE Filed July 2. 1921 Patented Oct. 29, 1929 PATENT OFFICE JOHN STROTHER THURMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI VACUUM COTTON-PICKING NOZZLE Application filed July 2, 1921.

The object of my invention is to produce a nozzle which is particularly adapted to be used in vaccum cotton picking machines. My device is simple in construction, can be easily manufactured in large quantities, consists of few parts, and lends itself readily to the purpose for which it is used. Nozzles for the purpose in question are attached to hose of varying length and are manually operated by the cotton picker. It is desirable to have the nozzle normally closed so that in the event that it is dropped by the operator onto the ground, it will not pick up dirt and rubbish before the operator discovers it or before '15 he can close the nozzle after he has discovered it. The mechanism for opening and closing the nozzle must be conveniently located on the exterior of the nozzle and must be easily and simply manipulated. A further object of my invention is to provide the nozzle with a thin serrated operating edge, that is to say the edge of the nozzle that is presented to the cotton is serrated. The edge of this serration causes the cotton to adhere to the edge as the nozzle is passed over the bolls. The serrated edge is of particular advantage for picking cotton that is beat down in the bolls.

The walls of the nozzle that come in con tact with the cotton must be thin in order to prevent packing of the cotton at the mouth of the nozzle and to enable the cotton to crawl over the edge of the nozzle and pass through the nozzle freely. If the nozzle walls are thick the cotton will not pass over the edge, or crawl, evenly into the nozzle, but will,

owing to the lack of uniformity in speed of travel, accumulate and clog the nozzle.

The diameter of the throat of the nozzle must be varied to accomodate it to the differ- 40 ent sizes of the bolls, i. e., for a long or short staple.

It is desirable to have several sizes of openings, and for that reason I have supplied my nozzle with a detachable nozzle mouth which may be of any diameter, larger or smaller than the permanent nozzle mouth.

A further object of my nozzle is to have it so constructed that if the operator should accidentally drop the nozzle onto the ground,

.59 the valve controlling the nozzle opening will Serial No. 482,273.

not be opened. Owing to the manner in which my nozzle is held in operation, if it should fall from the operators hand, it will not ordinarily open the valve because the handle of the valve will be on the upper side and will not come in contact with the ground.

If the nozzle should fall on the handle, the vaccum when present and sufiicient will close the valve. A still further object is to so construct the mouth and valve of the nozzle that the path of the cotton through the nozzle will not be obstructed.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, my invention has relation to certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully de scribed, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the nozzle showing by solid lines the valve in closed position, and by dotted lines the valve in open position.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the valve removed from the nozzle.

' Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation showing the valve in open position.

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are respectively face and edge views of the valve proper.

Numeral 6 indicates a tube tapering at the right end and having its left end serrated as so shown at 7 with an opening 8 cut in its lateral surface. Numeral 9 designates a split valve housing which is slipped over the tube 6 over the opening 8 where it is secured by com pressing the split portions around the tube 6 and secured by threaded bolts 10 which pass through ears 11 formed at the ends of the split portions of the valve housing 9. Numeral 12 designates the valve which consists of a tube 13 joined integrally with the gate 14. Numeral 15 designates a shaft which passes through the tube 13 to which it is secured by the pin 16. The ends of the shaft 15 project beyond the housing 9 and are of rectangular section. Numeral 17 indicates a handle having two prongs formed integral therewith and having rectangular holes formed in the ends of the prongs. The rectangular ends of shaft 15 are projected through these holes. It will be seen that by oscillating the housing 'cating with said opening, mounted n said housing and spring-held handle 17, the shaft 15 is rotated and hence the valve 12 is oscillated within the tube 6 and the housing 9.

The gate portion 1 1 of the valve 12 is concave to the same degree as are the walls of the tube 6 as best shown in Fig. 5 and is of such size and shape that in one of its limiting positions it completely destroys fluid communication between the ends of the tube 6. The upper portion of the housing 9 has a recess of the same shape and size as the gate portion 1a of the valve 12. When the gate is in the other of its limiting positions,

it fits snugly in the recess of the housing 9 v and for that reason takes a position in the opening 8 in the tube 6 and is not in the path of the cotton through the nozzle. By these means the gate portion 14 of the valve 12 forms a portion of the wall of the tube 6 when the nozzle is in operative position. In order to assist in keeping the valve closed normally, a spring 18 is provided which has its ends secured to the prongs of the handle 17 as best shown in Fig. 1 and its center secured to the housing 9 by means of the screw 19. Numeral 2O designates a detachable throat of such size as to be slidably secured to the tube 6' and having an end of diifering section from that of the sections of the tube 6 and having its end serrated.

In operation, the reduced end of the tube 6 is fitted to a source of vacuum by means of hose of convenient length, the tube 6 is held in the hand, with the thumb of the operator'on the handle 17. V

For different conditions of operation, a detachable throat 20 is provided.

WVhat I claim and mean to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cotton picking tube provided with a transverseopening in its wall at one side, a valve housing surrounding the opening'and provided with a valve therein, said valve being shaped inperiphcral outline to close the tube when in inoperative position, said valve housing being provided with a recess therein, so that the valve when retracted into the recess in its operative position is out of the fluid path of the tube and flush with the inner surface of the tube, said valve being rcua ted in cross section to the same degree as is the wall of the tube.

2. In a cotton picking nozzle, the con ibi nation of a tubular member having one end open and having the other end adapted to be connected to afiexiblc suction pipe, said tubular member being provided with a transverse opening near the open end thereof, a valve detachably secured on said tubular member and enclosing said opening, said housing having a chamber disposed tangentially to said tubular member and communia valve pivotally therein in closed position to close the passage therethrough, and a manually operable member located exteriorly of said housing and operable to move said valve from its closed position into an open position within said chamber clear of the passage area of said tubular member.

3. In acotton picking nozzle, the combination of artubular member provided with a transverse opening near its open end, a valve housing detachably secured on said tubular member and enclosing said opening, said housing being provided with a chamber disposed tangentially to said tubular member and communicating with said opening, a flipper valve pivotally mounted in said housing, spring cooperating. with said valve for maintaining the latter in'closed position with. in said tubular member, and a handle locatec exteriorly of said housing and operable to move said valve from its closed position within said tubular member into an open position within said chamber tangentially to the area oi said tubular member so that the passage therethrough is unobstructed.

1-. In a cotton picking device,'thecombination of a suction nozzle having. its open end formed with an outwardly presented serrated mouth and having its-opposite end adapted to be connected to a flexible suction pipe, said nozzle being provided with a transverse opening near-its mouth, a valve housing detachably secured on said tubular member and enclosing said opening, said housing having a chamber disposedtangentially to said tubular member and communicating with said opening, a valve pivotally mounted in said housing and spring-actuatedto move into said tubular member and close the passage therethrough, and a manually operable member located exterio'rly of said housing and operable to move said valve from its closedv position into an open position within said chamber clear oi the passage area of said tubular member.

5. In a cotton picking device, the combination of a suction nozzleadapted to be connected to a flexible suction pipe, saidnozzle being provided in its wall with a transverse opening, a valvehousing arranged on said. nozzle and surroundingsaid opening, said housing having a chamber disposed tangentially to said nozzle and communicating with said transverse opening, a shaft journaled in said chamber transversely of said nozzle, a valve fixed to said shaft and spring-actuated to move into said nozzle and close the passage therethrough,and a handle fixed to said shaft exteriorly of said housing and operable to move said valve from its closed position within said nozzle into'an open position within said chamber clear of the passage area of said nozzle whereby the passage through the latter is unobstructed.

6. A cotton picking nozzle comprising a tubular member having its nozzle formed with outwardly presented serrations, there being a transverse opening formed in said member near said mouth, a valve housing secured to said tubular member and enclosing said opening, said housing having a chamber disposed tangentially and adjacent to said opening, a valve pivotally mounted in said housing for closing the passage through said tubular member, a spring for yieldingly holding said valve in closed position, a manually operable member located exteriorly of said housing for actuating said valve from the closed position in said tubular members into an open position Within said chamber, clear of the passage area of said tubular member, and an auxiliary nozzle removably positionable over the mouth end of said tubular memher, said auxiliary nozzle having a restricted mouth provided with outwardly presented serrations.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN STROTI-IER THURMAN. 

